The World Bank (WB) is privatizing healthcare in Third World countries by funding commercial projects in the name of poverty alleviation. India is an excellent example of this trend. The Punjab Health SystemsCorporation (PHSC), a parastatal financed by the World Bank, is facilitating the commercialization of healthcare in Punjab. The result, however, is more expensive and less accessible healthcare for the poor, parallel health infrastructure, and increased corruption.Key problems with the World Bank Group's work in Health Problems that have been identified with the World Bank's work in the health sector include, among others:
- The WB promotes healthcare as a commercial activity, thus advancing the underlying philosophy that those without money will not receive treatment. This results in a denial of the right to health and undermines the state's responsibility inproviding basic healthcare to its citizens.
- The poor and women are hit worse by theincreased costs of treatment. This often forces them to depend on quacks and superstitious methods of treating their medical problems.
Privatisation of Health
by Vineeta Gupta, Lok Samved, 01 September, 2008 